Cisco-Linksys BEFSX41 EtherFast Cable/DSL Firewall Router (4-Port 10/100 Switch / VPN Endpoint) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've used two SX41s for over three years on DSL and they are rock solid providing that I don't violate the cardinal rules of operation. The VPN tunnels are easy to set up if you follow the guidelines. First of all you must use a stable firmware. 1.45.7 is the most stable. The latest 1.52.9 is okay, but not as stable. Also you must NEVER set any of the Web Filters to deny or you will have reboots. Generally it is as simple as that.
There are also rules for flashing that must be observed. It doesn't matter whether you use a ver 1 firmware on a ver 2 router or visa versa. Thinking there is a difference is nonsense. What DOES matter is that the router MUST be reset to factory defaults (30 secs on the reset button will do this) before a flash or you risk bricking the router. When flashing with the Web page flashing tool, use IE or you will risk bricking the router. Use the TFTP utility for the SX41 obtainable from Linksys if you wish to use a Mozilla-based browser to flash. After you flash, you should reset once again to factory defaults. There are residual register settings carried over from the previous firmware versions that can cause reboots and other malfunctions.
Even the best flashing procedures can fail, but there are procedures for recovering from a bad flash at DSLReports.com. The recovery rate is probably better than 90% using those techniques. Guidelines for setting tunnels up are also posted there as well as access to the 1.45.7 stable firmware.
Successful operation of the SX41 requires modest intelligence, some networking experience, and following the operating rules. Linksys support hasn't a clue as to what those rules are so don't even bother with them unless you are trying for an RMA for a defective unit. Basically the router has gotten a bad rap from people who don't know how to operate it. Unfortunately they can't learn how to do that from the minimalist manual or from the so-called tech support personnel. Ask for operation help in the Linksys forum on the above mentioned web site if you are struggling with this router.

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The Linksys Instant Broadband EtherFast cable/DSL firewall router with 4-port switch/VPN endpoint is the perfect solution for connecting a small group of PCs to a high-speed broadband Internet connection or a 10/100 Ethernet backbone. The router can be configured to limit internal users' Internet access based on URLs and/or time periods (URL filtering and time filtering). For enhanced protection against intruders from the Internet, the router features an advanced SPIfirewall.
Use the cable/DSL firewall router with 4-port switch/VPN endpoint to create IPSec VPN tunnels, so you can securely connect to the corporate server from your home office--or from any location, when you're on the road. The router provides a dedicated port for DMZ hosting and acts as the only externally recognized Internet gateway on your LAN. With the performance and security features of the Linksys cable/DSL firewall router with 4-port switch/VPN endpoint, your network will take advantage of the Internet while keeping its data secure.
This router is compatible with Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, Me, and XP.
Note: All Linksys routers now include a special edition of Norton Internet Security! Claim your free CD-ROM by calling (800) 814-0180, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific, seven days a week.

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Netgear MR314 802.11b Wireless Cable/DSL Router with 4-Port Switch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a nice piece of gear because it saves having to get a wireless hub and router separately, which frees up the 4 ports for just computers, and eliminate extra wires and boxes and power cables.
Router:
A great feature of this particular router is that it can email you activity logs which show what websites were visited on that day through the router. You can also block access to websites or any site that contains a keyword, so this could be useful in small office and home (children) use. (By viewing the website activity logs, you can find out which sites to block so that next time the user tries to go there it will say "blocked by netgear" and you will be notified of the attempt.) You can also lockout times and dates.
This Router does NOT have a firewall built in- even though this box looks like the netgear firewall router (the one for the same price without the integrated wireless hub).
Wireless hub-
Average range. Security wise, you can set it up with 128 bit WEP and with MAC Address authentication, which secures your network to a reasonably safe level. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE THE ADMIN PASSWORD FOR THIS ROUTER, AND FOR ANY ROUTER.
Cons: The antenna can not be changed or removed. The unit is not designed to be hung from a wall like the SMC wireless hub. (WHY would you do that? To get better wireless range).

THE UNIT
The unit itself, like all netgear products, is metal and a nice dark hue of blue, with several blinking indicator lights. I am happy with my one, which uses a DSL connection with static IP address to feed 4 computers and two wireless laptops.

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Netgear's MR314 cable/DSL wireless router with four-port switch and access point offers the easiest way to share and extend your high-speed cable/DSL modem Internet connection, either with or without wires. This high-performance IEEE 802.11b standards-based router connects all your PCs equipped with wireless PC cards, while an integrated four-port switch connects your devices that need Ethernet wiring. The integrated Web-content filtering and alerts allow you to restrict Internet access based on Web addresses, Web address keywords, or the time of day, and protect your family or business with a safe surfing environment. Network Address Translation (NAT) and virtual private network (VPN) pass-through provides your network with protection from hackers. Simple Web-based instructions get your PC network up and running in less than an hour. With the MR314 reliability, you can rest assured that your network will stay up and running, backed by the Netgear five-year warranty.
Efficient The MR314 allows you to share and extend your cable/DSL connection to anywhere in your home or office, without the time or expense of Ethernet cabling. The built-in access point enables the MR314 to be used in larger wireless networks in conjunction with other standards-based wireless access points. For additional ease of use, Auto Uplink eliminates the need for cumbersome crossover cables.
Protective and secure NAT security and VPN pass-through features give you a greater level of protection against hacker attacks, while 40/64 and 128-bit WEP encryption guard your wireless network for maximum privacy.
Watchful and informative Web content filtering options let you customize restricted Internet access policies. E-mail reports and instant alerts keep you up to date on Web browsing activity.
Rugged and reliableSturdy metal construction on the outside, dependable 802.11b standards-based technology on the inside, all backed by a five-year warranty to give you high-performance reliability.

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TRENDnet 300 Mbps Wireless Easy-N-Upgrader (TEW-637AP) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had a Microsoft Router for about 5 years now and it has been perfect in every regard, but I was really wanting to upgrade it and get the latest speeds....I was torn since my Router is still working great, I hated to mess with something working so good when you read the spotty reviews (some 5 star---some 1 star) for some of the new routers.
So I thought this one would be the perfect choice and after 2 months of ownership I am proud to say that it IS !...I just hooked it into a port on my existing router and now I have the Microsoft Router in B speed and the Trendnet N Speed working right beside each other perfectly...I am very happy with it...It took about 15 minutes to install using the included instructions and their website that is very helpful...I was able to print out the entire manual before I even got the router !
In the couple of months I have had it...Not one dropped signal...haven't had to reboot it...nothing.....It's been flawless from day 1....It works WAY out in my backyard.....and everywhere in my house (1,500 Square feet).....I get 80% signal in the yard and back porch...and 92% to 95% inside the house.
I have used it with a iPod Touch...PS3....and a Wii....and setup was easy with them all....even with the best security settings.

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The 300Mbps Wireless Easy-N-UpgraderTM upgrades your old, perfectly functioning router, to high speed wireless n. Enjoy up to 12 times the speed and 4 times the coverage of a wireless g network. Eliminate wireless dead spots, seamlessly surf the Internet and help the environment by not throwing away your old router. The compact 300Mbps Wireless Easy-N-UpgraderTM is designed around ease of use, performance and environmental friendliness. The latest in wireless encryption ensures wireless security. Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology eliminates wireless dead spots. Wireless Protected Setup (WPS) lets you integrate other WPS devices into your network quickly.

Get 40% OFF

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Belkin N1 Vision Wireless Router (F5D8232-4) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I suspect most of the people with issues or complaints have version 1000 and / or old firmware.
Additionally one needs to use this in conjunction with 802.11n wireless adapters (preferably Draft 2.0 for future upgradeability / compatibility) in order to obtain the maximum benefit out of the router, at least from a wireless performance perspective.
I recently purchased version 2000 of the N1 Vision (check the sticker on the bottom of the box). I have it mated with two PC's with 802.11n Draft 2.0 (2T2R - 2 Transmit 2 Receive) wireless USB adapters (each with just an internal, but high quality, antenna).
I was up and running in no time.
I also had no problems using VPN to connect to my office network.
I am using WPA2 with AES encryption.
For extra security I have it set up with (broadcast SSID set to 'off' and have specifically only allowed my two wireless adapters by entering their MAC addresses in the 'MAC address control' of the router's setup utility).
Upstairs (one room away from the N1 Vision I get 95 - 100% signal quality and 90+ signal strength with a pretty consistent connection speed of 270 Mbps! (not the full 300 maximum but certainly close enough for me). :)
Downstairs (one floor down and all the way on the other side of the house relative to the router), I get something like 45 - 75% signal strength depending where I am in the room. The speed varies between 45 Mbps, at worst (will have to verify this tonight as I only used it one night and believe this minimum can be improved upon), to a more typical 170 or 210 Mbps (wide range, I know, but I only tested it one night and haven't tweaked settings or placement yet via the flexible silver mini extension cable).
The display is useful in that you can see who connected to your network in the past 24 hours (if an unexpected visitor enters your wireless network, at least you will have a way of knowing it).
I am pleased with the Vision N1's speed, range and overall performance, other than the disconnect issue for which there is an easy enough workaround until they fix it permanently, hopefully, via a firmware upgrade for the 2000 model).
Keep in mind my testing was done using Draft 2.0 802.11n wireless USB adapters. Wireless G adapters won't have the same performance or even close to it.The one thing to note is that there is a known issue where the N1 Vision disconnects every two hours (wireless or all around). This occurs when the router software connects to the time server to get the time (check the router setup page's security log and you can see the entries every two hours).
There is a firmware fix for this for version 1000 but ironically NOT for the newer version 2000.
The N1 Vision 1000 hardware has other issues (reported overheating etc.) though, so I still much prefer version 2000.
For version 2000 there is a workaround to stop it from disconnecting every 2 hours (search the net for it as it requires accessing a "hidden" page).
The workaround works very well and is only required to be performed once after a reboot of the router.
I haven't had to do so in a long time.
I gave it 4 stars due to the issue with it disconnecting every 2 hours and the fact that version 2000 does NOT have a firmware fix for this, even though the older version does.
This should have been caught during pre-release testing. If not, at worst, a firmware fix should have been created for version 2000 very early on.

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N1 vision Wireless router

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